The Hindu : National : Byelections pep up Goa politics

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Wednesday, May 04, 2005

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National

Byelections pep up Goa politics

Anil Sastry

Prestigious fight for BJP, high stakes for Congress too With both parties having 17 MLAs each, an intense fight is expected

PANAJI: The political atmosphere in Goa, snoozy in the absence of a popular government, has got charged up with the announcement of the June 2 byelectionsin five constituencies to the Assembly, which has been kept under suspended animation since March 4.

The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are heaving a sigh of relief after a long wait for the byelections, necessitated by the resignation of BJP MLAs to topple the Manohar Parrikar Government.

The Congress camp is headless. The All-India Congress Committee has accepted the resignation of the Pradesh party chief Luizinho Faleiro but no one has succeeded him.

While it is a prestigious fight for the BJP to regain the lost government, the Congress also has high stakes as it has to justify the toppling of the Parrikar Government. With both parties having 17 MLAs each, an intense fight is expected. Either party has to win at least four of the five seats to form a stable government.

Unity shortlived

The unity, forged to topple the Parrikar regime and form the Rane Government, between the Congress and regional parties appears shortlived. For, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) intend contesting separately.

Congress Legislature Party leader Pratapsinh Rane, who succeeded Mr. Parrikar for a brief period of 30 days from February 2, said here on Monday that the party would contest in all the five constituencies. The former MLAs, who deserted the BJP,would contest on the Congress ticket. Francisco alias Micky Pacheco (Benaulim) has joined the NCP after he was denied a berth in the Rane Government, while Atanasio alias Babush Monserrate (Taleigao), Pandurang Madkaikar (Cumbarjua), Isidore Fernandes (Poinguinim) and Digambar Kamat (Margao) have already joined the Congress.

The MGP, the UGDP and the NCP are unhappy over the Congress claims. While the NCP State president, Wilfred D'Souza, has said Mr. Pacheco will be the party's candidate in Benaulim, the MGP and the UGDP are contemplating contesting at least one each seat.Mr. Madkaikar won on the MGP ticket in the 2002 Assembly elections while Mr. Pacheco and Mr. Monserrate won on the UGDP ticket before joining the BJP.

BJP list on May 5

The BJP, which was demanding the dissolution of the Assembly and holding of fresh elections, says it will contest all five seats. Pradesh BJP chief Rajendra Arlekar said the list of candidates would be finalised by May 5.

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